As immigrants flocked from all points of the globe to this melting pot we call the U.S. of A., they brought their gods with them. Sadly, most of these deities are all but forgotten. What if those gods are still among us in human form, their immortality painfully ticking by as they eke out trivial existences like the rest of us, glory days behind them? What if they’re angry about being neglected and pissed at the gods of the 21st century for stealing their thunder? (You know, The Media, Globalization, Consumerism – all larger than life and amassing a bigger congregation everyday…)
“American Gods,” by Neil Gaiman, is a hefty tale, but it’s a page-turner from the get-go. Quickly snared into the thick of it, you’re hurled along with Shadow Moon, an ex-con coming to grips with the recent death of his wife and being fresh out of the slammer. Unsure of what direction to take, he’s pulled into the undertow of a brewing storm, much bigger than anything he can possibly comprehend.
If you enjoy mythology and well-spun tales that force you to question all of it and then some, “American Gods” should be next on your list.
Keena KimmelOwner of White Rabbit Books and Curiosities
